


Special Spots

by Fandomzzsmo



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Awkwardness, Episode: s03e14-15 The Boiling Rock, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Minor Sokka/Suki, Nightmares, Nighttime, Oblivious Zuko (Avatar), Past Relationship(s), Sleepy Cuddles, Sokka is too horny, The Western Air Temple - Freeform, Toph calling everyone out, Touch-Starved, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, but so loveable, stargazing?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:08:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26635630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandomzzsmo/pseuds/Fandomzzsmo
Summary: After Zuko stumbles upon Sokka's secret jerk off spot in the woods, they start to learn more about each other and become closer "friends". Pretty much just the story of Sokka and Zuko getting together at the western air temple and them doing cute awkward couple things.
Relationships: Past Jet/Zuko - Relationship, Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 121





	1. I didn't know this was your rock!

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first ever Avatar the Last Air Bender Fanfic! Ages are as follows:  
> -Sokka 15  
> -Zuko 16  
> -Aang 12  
> \- Toph 12  
> -Katara 14  
> So if underage characters make you feel uncomfortable you do not have to read. I do not own Avatar or its characters and now with out further ado...I hope you enjoy!!  
> P.S: I'm a working student with a lot going on. I love writing but I can't do it as much as I would like. This fic will be updated when ever but I promise to complete it.

One week. One-week Zuko had been leaving at the air temple with the Avatar and his friends. It was strange, they all got along so well. Sure, he had witnessed a few of Katara and Toph's "Difference of options", as Aang had put it but to be honest, Zuko was just happy it was Toph, Katara was having "differences" with, instead of him. It had gotten…better, sort of. She had started to hand him pots & pans or dirty clothes wordlessly, to show she wanted him to wash them. While before she just straight out ignored him. It was still strange though. They all ate together around the fire. Everyday. Three meals a day and _enjoyed_ it. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed the meals he used to eat with Uncle, but it was just them, not a whole group of people laughing and joking around.

He missed his Uncle.

At this thought, Zuko looked downwards, away from the dark ceiling he had previously starred away at. It was pretty late, everyone had gone to bed hours ago, but Zuko was still awake lying in bed thinking away. Though, the thought of Uncle Iroh made him realize how much he didn't want to think about him right now.

With a sigh, he heaved himself out of bed and on to his feet, stone floors cold underneath him. He let his eyes travel out to the night sky from his open window, seeing all the stars and feeling the cool breeze swept through the shudders. Finding his boots in the corner of his room, he huffed them on. Opting to leave his bedroom without throwing another layer on over his sleeping robes.

He tip-toed out of the air temple, being extra careful while he passed the group all sleeping around the now burned-out fire. Walking farther away he felt himself relax and his head drops back to look up at the stars again.

____________________

Sokka could feel hands all over his body, dancing up & down his chest, rubbing in all the right places. There’s someone behind him, holding him, and he can feel their hard chest against his back caging him in. The hands wonder more scrapping down skin and hot breath on his neck. He’s so lost in the pleasure that he hears himself let out a noise when the mystery person starts leaving open-mouthed kisses on his neck. Fingertips on his inner thigh squeeze and knead the flesh, moving up higher till their almost _there_.

He blinks his eyes open a little out of it. Lying on his back arms astray, he’s confused at first, wondering what had happened to the person behind him when he realized.

Oh no 

Eyes jerk down to his blanket covered crotch, thanking the spirits he wasn't naked for all to see, even though everyone is technically still asleep. What time was it anyway? After grounding himself a little more Sokka's glad to say he didn't cum all over himself but he was still painstakingly hard. 

Great, he's going to have to deal with this now. Why couldn't he have just stayed asleep! It was a nice dream too, Sokka pouts as he quietly got up out of his sleeping bag and made a way out of the snoring circle of his friends. 

Walking in the middle of the night in the chilly air Sokka wishes he’d just creamed himself then and there. He finds it bothersome that whenever he has to do this, which is a lot...

‘Don’t blame me! You’re a growing bo- Man! You are a Man! With needs, this is perfectly natural.’ 

He thinks, being satisfied with the reassuring talk he just had with himself. But he was still annoyed, whenever he wanted to _take care of business_. He always had to go all the way into the woods far away from the air temple so no one would hear him, especially Toph. He shivered to himself at the thought of her freakishly perceptive feet. Maybe if she was like any other normal person, he'd be able to jerk off wherever he wanted instead of having a now permanent spot in the forest. Though, he did like his spot. It wasn't too deep into the trees to where he'd get lost but not too close to Tophs radar. It was almost like a clearing but much smaller. There was a nice smooth rock that Sokka could sometimes sit on if he felt the urge, but mostly he just stuck to resting back against one of the oak trees. Sitting on the nice grass was a lot more comfortable than the rock but, he had to make do with what he had.

He was getting closer to it now and he couldn’t help but feel excitement pool in the pit of his stomach. What? It had been awhile.

Sauntering through the trees, he lowered his hand to palm himself. Sokka had to admit he wasn’t really paying attention. This path had become almost muscle memory at this point and he was too distracted by the thrum in his pants. So, when he finally entered his circle and looked up, he was not expecting to see Zuko sitting on his jerk off rock, staring back at him. 

Sokka’s hand ripped away from his dick, grabbing the other behind his back and he wished he could just evaporate into thin air. Zuko’s scarred eye was open wider than he’d ever seen it before but, he still wouldn’t look away. It was like time had frozen except Sokka felt every single one of those seconds trudge on for excruciatingly too long. It wasn’t till the older boy looked down, presumably down at his crotch, then back up that Sokka moved to cover himself.

His mind was screaming at him, telling him to keep his cool but he felt the red-hot blush work up his neck to the tip of his ears. 'Why is Zuko here?! Is this really happening? What do I say!?’ It had only been a week since Zuko had come to live with them and to train Aang. They had gotten along better than he thought they would but that doesn’t mean he was at all relieved it was him sitting in Infront of him. At this moment actually, he wishes it had been Toph, at least she wouldn’t have been able to see his _state_. 

“Uhm…why are--why are you sitting on my rock?” Is the best Sokka can come up with. 

It seems to do the trick though cause Zuko pops off of it as if it burned him. Standing now, he looks back at him and the eye contact they make sends the awkwardness flying. They both look away.

“I-I didn’t-- know it was-was your rock.” 

Peering back in Zuko’s direction gives Sokka's newfound confidence. He has his head cast down to his feet and even though it's dark he can see the distinct blush consuming his skin. Who knew Zuko could act so bashful?

“Yeah, this is like my area. I kind of come here a lot. No pun intended, ah-ha.” 

He added that last part to lighten the mood but it only seemed to make Zuko blush harder. Maybe he didn't realize what had been going on before? Did he just expose himself more than he already had? When the older boy doesn’t say anything right away, he adds.

“Do _you_ come here a lot?” 

“I’ve only been here for a week!”

Sokka feels his eyebrows shoot up his forehead. Does that mean…had he and Zuko been sharing… Zuko must have seen his face morph because he quickly blurted out. 

“That-That wasn’t a yes! I haven’t even done that yet!”

“Ever!?”

“No! Not ever! No, no I mean-”

Watching Zuko trip over his words was actually pretty enjoyable. He was even redder now and his hands kept zooming around, trying to explain himself. He'd never seen him like this before, especially when Zuko was chasing them around the world. It was actually kind of endearing. The older boy had been quiet and reserved for the majority of the time that he was with them, only stepping out of that narrative to teach Aang firebending. He found it fun to tease Zuko, so he continued with a smile on his face. 

“It’s okay, take your time jerkbender.”

The death stare he received probably would have pissed him off if was a while ago but, now in this situation that they were in, Sokka couldn’t help but laugh. While he was bent over, cackling into his palm, Zuko must have collected himself because when he started talking his voice was clearer but, strained. 

“I _have_ done that before, but not at the air temple and certainly not in the middle of the woods either.”

“Yeah well, I only do it out here because it’s impossible at the Temple.” Sokka strolls over to the large stone sticking out of the ground and rests his back against it, sliding down into a squat position. After a lookup at Zuko, the boy walks and sits down next to him. 

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why can’t you…at the temple?”

Turning his head to look at Zuko, he hadn’t realized how close they were. His nose was only a few inches away from the un-scared side of the other boy’s face. He kept his stare on Zuko, watching him play with his fingers in his lap. 

“Toph’s magical toesight...Plus it’s not so fun jerking it when your baby sister is sleeping right next to you.”

Zuko’s flushed face looks down even farther into his lap at the words ‘jerking it’ but, he still gives a reply.

“That’s not why I came out here—and I know what you mean about-I know-” 

He takes a deep breath and seems to ready himself to continue and not mess up his words.

“I know how it feels to not have any privacy.”

Sokka's confused at this. 'Isn't he the prince of the fire nation? He lived in a palace for spirit's sake. What does he mean?'

“When I lived in Ba Sing Se with Uncle.”

_Oh_

That’s what he meant. ‘I guess that makes sense. I wonder what is worse, your uncle or sister catching you.’ He’s about to ask Zuko as much but opts for a different question that he had been thinking for a while now.

“Then why are you here?”

Zuko tilted his head up, looking through the treetops and sighs. Sokka looks up with him.

“I couldn’t sleep so I decided to take a walk and stumbled upon the rock. I was just thinking but, then you showed up-so I guess I’ll just leave you to it.” 

The prince gets up abruptly, popping whatever bubble of calmness that had settled over their awkward conversation. Now Sokka just felt vulnerable. ‘Leave me to it? Oh.’ His _friend_ had gone down a while ago and he wasn’t exactly in the mood anymore. 

“Wait! You don’t have to go.”

That obviously was not the right thing to lead with since Zuko spun around and stared at him like he had grown three heads. The boy's good eye was as wide as a pai sho tile, it was like he had frozen in time.

"Spirits sorry, that's not what I meant! I- I'm not- I don't…plan on doing that tonight anymore."

Zuko seems to have stopped freaking out but, he still seemed tense. For some reason that made Sokka frown. _He didn’t want Zuko to feel that way around him._ Pushing that thought away, Sokka continued hoping it would stop the awkwardness that was forming again.

“I meant that I want to show you some other place.”

____________________

Zuko had reluctantly agreed and that’s how he found himself following Sokka through the dark woods. ‘Why would you think that’s what he meant! Are you stupid? Of course, he didn’t mean it like that!’ He felt his cheeks flush once again at his embarrassing moment a few minutes ago. He had to start working on his social skills. He was just happy it was dark enough that Sokka couldn't see his face in its current red state. He realized the other boy had been talking and tuned in at least tempted to save this night, wherever it was going. 

"I found this place the first night we got here. Well, Katara was the one to find it, but I was with her! She said it was too far away from camp for her though, So I know she doesn’t come here so you don’t have to worry about that. I--”

"Why would I worry about that?" Zuko questioned, well more as he blurted it out but he didn't understand what Sokka was saying and knew that the boy would just keep going on and on if he wasn't interrupted. Plus, he didn’t want him to think he didn’t like Katara. 

“Cause, _you know_.” 

“I really don’t.”

“Because Zuko, I’m introducing you to your own spot so you don’t come back to mine.”

He felt his feet stop moving but, they quickly started again so he didn’t lose Sokka. He was trying to collect his thoughts. When the other boy stopped abruptly in front of the tree lines end.

“and I was just clarifying that you wouldn’t have to worry about Katara or anyone else interrupting you the way you oh-so-gracefully did to me.”

Sokka had taken him to a cliff sight, it had long green grass covering it and there was enough space between the trees and the actual cliff that you didn’t have to worry about falling off. Walking out of the forest and on to the clearing of grass, Zuko could now peer over the edge and see the spot looked out onto the water. 

“If I remember clearly, it was you who interrupted _me_.”

“Oh Zuko, I thought you weren’t there too~…”

At the highly inappropriate gesture, Sokka made with his hand, he looked away and back over the cliff. 'How am I supposed to communicate with someone who just does... _that_?’ He felt his skin prickly with embarrassment. ‘How many times am I going to turn red tonight???’ He chooses not to respond out loud. Instead, he just takes a seat in the grass. It isn't until he feels a presence sitting down to his side that he looks over at Sokka. The other boy way leaning back on his hands, legs spread out in front of him with his head thrown back.

"You know, now that I'm here again I gave you the better spot. The stars are so much clearer here."

"I don't think you pay that much attention to the stars when you're out here."

He’s a little startled when the younger boy bursts out laughing. Sokka leans forward with a hand on his stomach almost howling. He looks over at Zuko and when he catches his eye there’s a huge grin plastered to Sokka’s face. 

“Who knew you were funny!”

That little comment was supposed to bother Zuko, he knows that but, he can’t help letting a little smile through. So, he just looks to the side, shielding his face from Sokka. After the laughter dies down, they are left there staring up at the stars. They were clearer here. There was a soft breeze that hit them and he sat unaffected but, Sokka, on the other hand, had shivered and threw his arms around his chest. You would think that being from the coldest place on earth, Sokka would have some sort of resilience against the cold but, Zuko again chooses not to say anything. 

“Hey, let’s head back.”

He moves to stand up at Sokka’s words and agree with him wordlessly. They make their way back to the air temple side by side in silence. When they finally make it back, Sokka appears to be thinking of something to say, as a parting but, struggled. He settled with an awkward wave as Zuko watched him walk back over to his sleeping bag. He didn't stay to see him slip inside, instead, he opted to continue his journey back to his room, away from everyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know exactly where this story is going but I love suggestions! I'm really trying to enhance my abilities as a writer and writing fanfics really helps me. I hope you enjoyed and feel free to tell me if you did ;)


	2. Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set a few days after the events in Chapter 1.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who'd back with a short chapter! Tehe

Aang swirls around, lighting flames from his hands. His feet run circles around Zuko and he just has to deal with it. Though it was hard to see the boy’s every move it wasn’t impossible; it was just difficult with his eye. A blazing fist came around Zuko's left missing his shoulder by an inch. With this advantage, he pressed a hand on Aang's sweaty back and pushed. The younger boy would have face planted on to the stone floor of the sparring area if he didn't shoot a blast of wind from his heels, landing him a few yards away from Zuko.

“You know you aren’t supposed to use airbending when we spar.”

After they had visited the sun warriors and they really got into training, Zuko implanted a rule that Aang wasn't allowed to use any of his other bending skills during firebending training. Since the younger boy always opted for it, he felt it would be best to focus solely on fire. He knew Aang wouldn't be able to truly master the element if he continued to shy away from it. The Avatar was not the best at following that rule.

“I know…But it was really close there don’t you think!”

He knew technically this was a question but the way Aang had said it with that huge, toothy grin on his face, it sounded like more of a compliment.

“Yeah it was, that’s why you can’t do it! If I can take you down that easily with one push how do you expe-”

“You don’t have to be so mean~” 

Both teacher and student look up at the interruption. Sokka was sitting over them on the edge of the small cliff that overlooked the training grounds. His one foot dangled off while the other was hiked up, supporting the weight of his right arm.

“How long have you been sitting up there?!”

Zuko felt himself cringe at the way his voice sounded. ‘Gods why do you have to sound so awkward!’ He really hoped it hadn’t been too long. It had been a few days since the incident but it was hard to just act like it never happened, at least for Zuko, Sokka seemed to be doing fine.

“Not long, Katara just wanted me to tell you guys that Breakfast is _severed_.”

With his hands' paneling out at the last word of his sentence, the water tribe boy made his exit, walking back to camp. Zuko could have sworn he heard a whistle too.  
____________________

He lied. Sokka had been watching for a long time.

Pretty much since half-way through their training and he’d be lying if he said he went to see Aang. Well technically, he went to tell both of them that Breakfast was ready but, he had gotten a little sidetracked. You know…staring at Zuko. ‘I was not _staring_ at Zuko?! I was simply…admiring…his form?’

Yea he was lying to himself. He was totally staring at him. Though, he didn't understand why. Ever since the other night and his conversation with Zuko, it felt like his ice with the other boy had broken. He never realized that Zuko could be so…human. He was blushing so hard the whole night Sokka was sure he would accidentally burst into flames and the way he said things that weren't _supposed_ to be funny but were. It was so _interesting_ that Zuko didn’t seem to know how to make jokes but accidentally made them anyway. 

“Did you tell them?”

Blinking back to reality, Sokka saw Katara's eyes peering into his with a firm hand on her hips. Her gaze was as solid and strong as always and it made him pause. After a second of no sign her brother had registered what she said she repeated herself.

“What? Yea, yea I told them, don’t worry.”

____________________

After Sokka had left them, they finished up pretty quickly. The younger boy had tried to get him to agree to pick training back up tomorrow but, Zuko couldn’t let him off without hundred hot squats. Aang didn’t like that idea much. He had whined and practically begged Zuko to let him do it after breakfast.

“Please! I promise I’ll do them soon!”

“…fine.” 

He almost let a smile seep through his normal scowl when Aang jumped up with a big gush of air than running to eat with the rest of the group.

After heaving his way up the rocky hill, the ground under his feet changes from mossy grass to the cool stone of the western air temple. Everyone was around the fire as usual. Katara standing over the rice pot, serving out portions, yelling at Toph to stop flicking rocks at Haru’s head. Aang looming over her, practically buzzing trying to help out. Then there was Sokka sitting and chatting with Teo, with them both sometimes looking over and laughing along with Toph. 

They all seemed like a big happy family or at least, what he would assume one to be. He had never fought with Azula where it wasn't serious.There wasn't a single time where their bickering didn't have to be stopped, before it got to serious. A bowl being offered in his face knocked him out of his saddening thoughts about his sister. Which he was grateful for. Looking up, there was Katara's hand on the other side of the bowl with an expecting look in her eyes. Like she was saying _Are you going to take it?_ The prince grasped the bowl with two hands and quietly tried to make his escape, planning on eating while looking over the canyon. Though, a wrench was thrown in his plans when a voice rang out over all the others.

“Zuko come eat with us!” 

It was Aang. The boy was now making himself comfortable next to Toph, shifting in his seat with an open look on his face. All of a sudden Zuko felt exposed. Everyone was looking at him now, some with the same look on their faces. One of them being Sokka. He wouldn't admit it but that was the face that did it for him.

Casting his eyes down, he re-walked his steps back to the group. Before he could even worry about where exactly he would sit, Sokka spoke out and saved him the panic.

“Here come sit next to me.”

The darker boy patted the space next to him and his voice was friendly and easygoing. It seemed it was no big deal and spontaneous decision to tell Zuko that. Though, there was no hint of regret on his face. It was like he didn't even think twice about it after he spoke. 'I wonder what that’s like.’ 

Without a word, he drifted over and took his spot next to Sokka. He felt uneasy at first not being used to this situation, he felt as if everyone was staring at him. But no one was. They all had gone back to whatever they were doing before and that almost made Zuko smile.

He was about to tune in to one of the random conversations that were being had around him when Sokka directed his words at him from his left.

"Hey, you don't have anything important to do today right?"

He didn't understand the question. Of course, he had important things to do today. Everyday actually. They were trying to stop his crazy father and had the fate of the world on their shoulders. 'What did Sokka _forget_ this of something? This is ridiculous-’ The other boy must have read his thoughts because he continued.

“I know obviously we all have important things to do, I just meant…Do you want to spare later?”  


He decided to just go on and ask his original question instead of explaining. He probably should have led with that but whatever. Now all he can do is wait for the jerkbenders answer.

“Um sure. We can spare.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

After that, Sokka turned back around and engulfed himself with a trivial conversation with Toph, his leading sentence being "What is your least favorite seafood and why?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been like a month and this chapter isn't as long as the last! It's also kind of shitty now that I read it over but i decided to still post it. But Chapter 3 is going to be pretty fun (even if I already know it's gonna be a bitch to write ) In the beginning when Sokka tells them "Breakfast is served" I was thinking of the scene in book 2 when he makes his classic exit and says "water tribe." So that's when I was trying to convey with words lmao. I hope you enjoyed!


	3. Battle and Bath?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boy's spar!

“Knock, knock”

Looking up in the direction of the intrusion was Sokka, reclined on the archway of his door. The boy's arms were crossed over his chest and ankles were also lying across one another, which he was able to pull off effortlessly. He wore a grin on his face. Zuko decided it was suspicious. 

"You know, you don't have to say 'Knock, knock' you could just… knock," Zuko mumbled. 

He was sprawled out on his floor, with a rag and left Dao in hand, preparing for sparing. Which he assumed was what Sokka was there for… _to pick him up._

“But the door was open.”

His eyes pinched at that. ‘Why does he have to have an answer for everything?!’ The other boys’ eyebrows raised with an expecting look on his face. _Oh, that means to get up._ Picking himself up and traveling to the entryway, his eyes meet with Sokka's, and he feels himself cast his stare away. For some reason, while looking at the other boy it was so clear and open. Like the limits of his vision expanded and were put into high definition. It made his stomach feel like it was in knots. 

‘Maybe it’s because we’re at eye level now? The lighting? Whatever.’ He didn’t dwell on it long. After he gathered his things, that being his swords and boots, they made their way down to the sparring grounds where Zuko spent all his mornings with the avatar and where he was about to spend his afternoon with a member of the southern water tribe.

____________________

Sokka felt the sweat on his temple slide down the side of his face and off his chin. He knew he was breathing in the air around him but, it didn’t feel like enough. Especially with him flying around the grounds, avoiding Zuko’s swings. His swords just kept on coming. Zuko himself was spinning around, jabbing and probably winning. But he tried not to think too hard about that last part. They had been going at it for a while now. Both of them keeping up with each other for the most part. Though it did take Sokka longer to build up a tolerance to Zuko’s attacks. 

In their first-round, Zuko had knocked him on his ass in under a minute. It was pretty embarrassing if he was being honest. He wanted Zuko to see him as a strong guy! Not some wimp he can easily throw around no way. His brow furrowed and he took a wider stance while his opponent seemed to take a few steps back. After toing and froing his arms for so long, he must have decided to take a different approach. 

With one heavy breathe Zuko charged straight forward, spinning off to the side at the last second and accurately hitting the younger boy in the back of the neck with the handle of his sword. ‘How did he get behind me that fast!?’ His face was touching cold stone before he even realized the hit had cost him his footing and landed him on the cold ground. He tasted blood in his mouth and made a face.

"Come, ooon man, take it easy! This is just sparring.”

He stood up and gazed behind him, making eye contact with a red Zuko. 

“Sorry.”

Oh, he didn't mean for the guy to take that to the heart or anything. He was only kidding around, even if he was a sore loser sometimes. He offered an easy smile to the now awkward boy in front of him. 'How can he go from badass-sword-dueler to embarrassed and regretful so quickly?' Though when he looked up and realized Sokka was only messing with him, Zuko went all the way to bratty. With narrowed eyes and pinched lips, he practically growled at him. Sokka laughed.

“Let’s keep going!”

With a huff, Zuko eventually got back into position and they carried on, this time Sokka being the first one to advance. He swung a fist towards Zuko’s face which was dodged and mirrored back towards him. He also was able to dodge and kept at it. 

Being so close, it was tuff for Zuko to effectively use his swords. He kept having to fight with his wrists or forearms or anything to block and counter. This was getting ruff. He was breathing sharply and could feel the dry exhales through his back. He was too hot. Not being able to use his bending was making him antsy and unfocused. He felt like there were firecrackers under his skin.

While he was being consumed by the heat all of a sudden there was no more air inside his lungs and next thing, he knew he was facing the clear blue sky above him.

Sokka laughed in triumph and was soon leaning over Zuko’s face, far enough to block the sun from his view. 

“You okay? I didn’t hurt _you_ , did I?” Sokka said this but his face didn’t exactly look all too concerned. He was actually sporting a pretty huge grin. 

“I’m too Hot.” 

The darker boy watched the crazed rise and fall of Zuko's chest and maybe spent too long lingering on the way the shirt fabric stuck to his skin. Because before he knew it, he was untying the knot at his waist and pulling the offending rode's off his shoulders. Since Zuko was still technically laying down and only using his elbows for support, the view of him desperately ripping his robes off, _could_ have been very easily twisted in Sokka's mind to something not very friendly.

And it sure was.

He couldn’t look away. Not with this new flesh exposed, glistened with sweat. His skin was so feeble and the harshness of his breath exposed the boy’s ribs slightly under it. The way his head was thrown back and chest propped up. It was like he was being reborn in a totally erotic way. 

'Spirits he's so pale it's like he's never seen the light of day before. Shouldn't he have been tanning every day with where he was raised? No just stop thinking and look away. And what was erotic about!? That was a little weird of you big guy don’t you think!?’ 

The wheezed sound of Zuko's breathing wasn't making it easy to listen to himself. The internal dialogue detracted him and gave him an out of staring at Zuko through his intense horny filter though. He was very thankful for that because in the next few seconds the prince stood up and spoke.

“I’m tired, I think I’m done for the day.”

He said it still bare up top with his red garment crumbled in his palm. Hopping out of himself, Sokka reared his eyes to Zuko’s and agreed with him. 

They started the trek back to the temple. 

“Do you think it’s almost time for lunch?” Sokka asked, it was too distracting for some reason to walk in silence with a shirtless Zuko but he could manage it if he could start a conversation with the boy. 

“Maybe..” Zuko didn’t seem to be paying attention. His gaze was focused up, looking into the sun with a hand cupping his forehead. The hand lifted his dark hair out of his face and Sokka could see the damp hair stick out in the wrong places. The boy’s chest still expanded fast but it had seemed to calm down quite a bit since he was lying on the floor. Though there was still so much sweat. 

This was going to be a long walk back.

____________________

The walk wasn’t _that_ long. 

Not as long as Zuko wished it was. While they were sparring things had been a little hard for him. The feeling of the fire breaching the surface, begging to rip out, irked him. Though it was nice to have a sparring partner who wasn't afraid of him, he still was quite embarrassed by being in the other boy's presence. The fact that he couldn't pick up on seemingly easy social cues and notice when Sokka was just teasing him made it hard for him to focus. Not to mention the other boy had improved over the time he had known him. 

He had a very easy going yet focused face he wore, almost like he was thinking of something and his huffed breathes were intrusive in Zuko's battle strategy. Sokka's arms always contracted and squeezed around firm muscles under his really beautiful brown skin.

He stopped there. No need to dive deeper into his thoughts. Especially with Sokka walking right beside him. 

He did like walking with him though. It was easy and almost fun. He smiled at the story Sokka was telling him about his time on Kyoshi Island when they were interrupted. 

Everyone was sitting around the open area on the temple grounds. Sitting in a circle and chattering on like they usually did. Katara’s voice was the one that had interrupted them. 

“Where have you guys been? We just started lunch.”

'Oh. I guess Sokka was right about Lunch being soon. Had they been out there for so long?’ 

“We were sparring…and I totally won!”

He felt his eyes narrow. _He had not won!_ And the prince was going to say as much before Katara stopped them in their tracks with a pinch to her nose and a gag. She made a disgruntled face directed at, surprisingly, both of them.

“You both _reek_. Don’t even think about coming any closer until you bathe.”

“What!? Katara we’ve hungry now, we’ve been working hard and you’re just gonna ban us like that!?” Sokka wined to his sister while Zuko just stood idly by and smelled his pits. 

Toph seemed to have got a kick out of this. She was snickering into her portage. 

_“Please?”_

_“You’ll contaminate the food!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's ignore the time between updates ok lmao? I am actually kind of proud of how I wrote the "fight" scenes in this chapter. Those are NOT my forte but I don't hate them here! I hope you enjoyed reading and please drop down any comments, questions, or concerns. See you next chapter for what happens next ;)


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